TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The US will soon establish an Indo-Pacific resilience partnership with allies and partners from the region and Europe, with Taiwan playing a key role, Jedidiah Royal, the US principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, said on Monday (Sept. 23).

The Pentagon will host the first meeting in Hawaii in approximately two weeks, with at least 12 Indo-Pacific and European allies participating, Royal said during a closed-door meeting at the US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in Philadelphia, CNA reported.

According to other attendees, Royal emphasized the importance of the Indo-Pacific region and explained that this initiative follows US decisions to co-produce missiles with Japan and fighter jet engines with India. Taiwan, known for its innovation and manufacturing capabilities, will play a significant role in this partnership, he said.

Royal acknowledged President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) dedication to building societal resilience, as seen by the establishment of a defense innovation task force and the creation of an inter-ministerial defense resilience committee. Royal also praised the rapid defense reforms under Lai's leadership as encouraging.

The US official reiterated Washington’s "rock-solid" support for Taiwan, affirming its commitment to providing Taiwan with defense capabilities under the Taiwan Relations Act. He added that US support for Taiwan will adapt as China’s threats evolve and acknowledged the importance of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan continuing to pass defense budgets to achieve defense goals.

The annual US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference began on Sept. 22. It has been held since 2002 to discuss Taiwan’s defense and national security needs.